1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ducted fans. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vibration isolation engine mount system and method for ducted fan aircraft.
2. Background Information
For high aerodynamic performance, cooling or propulsion fans are often mounted in ducts, such as in, for example, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and the like, referred to as ducted fan aircraft. For best results in performance, a very small gap should exist between the fan blade tips and the inside of the duct. However, many ducted fans are driven by engines with substantial vibration. Consequently, there is a large gap between the blade tips of the ducted fan and the interior of the duct to allow for the motion resulting from the vibration.
Therefore, there is a need to provide isolation of the engine vibration from the rest of the aircraft system that can allow large engine motion at certain RPMs, while still maintaining a desirable small clearance between the blade tips of the ducted fan and the duct.